Walter Isaacson: Elon Musk, Steve Jobs, Einstein, Da Vinci & Ben Franklin | Lex Fridman Podcast #395

Walter Isaacson is an author of biographies on Elon Musk, Steve Jobs, Einstein, Benjamin Franklin, Leonardo da Vinci, and many others. Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors:

TRANSCRIPT:

EPISODE LINKS:
Walter's Books:

PODCAST INFO:

OUTLINE:
0:00 - Introduction
3:00 - Difficult childhood
20:04 - Jennifer Doudna
23:01 - Einstein
28:20 - Tesla
45:24 - Elon Musk's humor
49:34 - Steve Jobs' cruelty
52:58 - Twitter
1:05:07 - Firing
1:07:52 - Hiring
1:16:55 - Time management
1:24:39 - Groups vs individuals
1:28:25 - Mortality
1:31:57 - How to write
1:52:56 - Love & relationships
1:57:50 - Advice for young people

SOCIAL:

[lexfridman]

Here are the timestamps. Please check out our sponsors to support this podcast.
0:00 - Introduction & sponsor mentions:
3:00 - Difficult childhood
20:04 - Jennifer Doudna
23:01 - Einstein
28:20 - Tesla
45:24 - Elon Musk's humor
49:34 - Steve Jobs' cruelty
52:58 - Twitter
1:05:07 - Firing
1:07:52 - Hiring
1:16:55 - Time management
1:24:39 - Groups vs individuals
1:28:25 - Mortality
1:31:57 - How to write
1:52:56 - Love & relationships
1:57:50 - Advice for young people

[jambay]

The only true long format interviewer I enjoy enough to watch and listen to repeatedly. Thank you Lex for your wide variety of guests and subjects.

[patrickcasella]

This is such a legendary collab. Read the Steve Jobs and Benjamin franklin biographies he wrote last year. Read the Davinci one this year and now working on the Einstein one. The amount of research this man must do to write such in-depth and easy to digest pieces of work is astounding. He will be a major reason why these legends are not forgotten hundred of years in the future! Thank you lex for having this conversation.

[jesussard]

This conversation felt like a 2 hour book. One of the best ever from Lex. Bravo.

[goblinbill]

Love when the conversation steered into Lex asking him about his interviewing/writing process. Conversations where an enthusiastic student engages the mind of an expert who is passionate to pass down the knowledge they have are priceless.

[ACGreviews]

Excellent interview and video. Profoundly informative as always

[paulmichaelfreedman]

Now this is QUALITY YT content, actually worth a damn and definitely educating.

[guy_roh]

"I always respect those in the arena." No better way to start this talk.

[url]

His biography of Steve Jobs was really inspiring to me as a teenager. I can’t believe he’s written so many others! Now I’m doubled inspired, both by jobs, and Isaacson himself as a writer. It shows the impact you can have if you follow your passion. As Lex said, I’m sure many of us have been inspired to self actualize by Isaacson’s biographies of world changing people.

[Superteastain]

Dude I love this show. It's good when the interviewer just let's the interviewee roll.

[url]

I’m so grateful to have discovered this podcast. As someone who has often felt like a misfit and struggled, but wants to contribute in the way your guests have, this place inspires me and makes me feel part of something meaningful, which is invaluable. Thank you Lex for making this freely available. You are doing so much good by sharing these conversations with everyone.

[charliechaplin]

Hi Lex, I am from Ethiopia. Thank you for this amazing podcast. It's such an inspiration for all of us, and it's a rare product

[jonlivingstone]

Lex should interview Arnold Schwarzenegger

[Dedicated_.]

8 minutes in and I already know this will be one of my favourite interviews.

[kevinlehmann]

Took a break from the pod for a bit. This was the best reintroduction I could’ve asked. Walter is incredible.

[sirishgreen]

I like how Walter very gently introduces Lex to the idea that you can be brilliant and not intense. It is a great motivation to change the world, but we can't all be trail blazers, so we should also give credit to those who just do the right thing.

[hiltithedrill]

As a wedding officiant who writes countless lovestories i got a lot out of this interview. From "let me tell you a story" through just listening in silence and letting them talk to quoting T.S. Eliot in the end there are so many gems in here. Time well spent - Thanks Lex & Walter!

[jasonsebring]

So far I'm very impressed by Walter Isaacson having never heard of him before. He has deeper insights than I ever expected.

[noone-ldpt]

Jesus this was sensational. The 6 words "Let me tell you a story" are going to be with me for the rest of my life. Thank you Lex and thank you Walter. I guess I have a series of biographies to read now!

[willmeyers_]

One of, if not the best, conversation I've ever listened to. Just incredibly awesome in every sense of the word.